Toy.



R. KIRKBY.

TOY. APPLICATION IILBDJUNB 18, 1909A Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

2 SHBBTB-SHEET l.

Even 07 @orga R. KIRKBY.

TOY.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNI: 1a, 1909.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

"2f/@Ma entran tra ,q Tav-iv" ma .e maar @la n lea REGINALD KIRKBY, OF LEICESTER, ENGUAND, ASSIGNOR TO ARTHUR THOMAS "WINKLES, OF LEICEST."

"t, ENGLAND Application filed. June 18, }.909.

tion of letters Patent.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l, ltnmnwnn Kilmer, a subject of the King of Great Britain, citizen of Leicester, England, residing at Leicester, in the county of lieicester, England,

have invented new and useful Improvements Relating to Toys, of which the following` Y. a specification.

T his invention relates to toys and has par tieular reference to spinning tops and apparatus employed therewith.

The invention is concerned with tops of the gyroscopic type usually comprising in their construction a ring or frame prmfided with screw centers between which a rotatable wheel mounted on a spindle is. carried.

The dynamics oi.' a gyroseope or top olf the kind above described are well known, and the object of the present invention is to construct a gyroscopic top in an improved manner so that, in addition to thc properties `already possessed by such a top, it may, when placed in certain positions, be adapted to travel or move along. i

The invention ,is carried into eil'ect by the provision of means which, under the aetuation of the rotating wheel of the gyroscope or top will cause the latter to travel or move along bodily when it is rested or stood on said means. These means may consist of a small pulley, wheel, roller or similar rotating member suitably carried in the ring or frame oi' the top and in contact or gear with which is arranged one end of the spindle ot' the wheel so that rotation may be imparted 'from said spindle to the rotating member. A convenient construction and arrangement inay consist of a 'ring or 'frame furnished at one side with a center screw to support one end of the spindle of the gyroscopic wheel. The opposite side of the ring or frame is furnished with a grooved wheel or pulley mounted on a short spindle carried between centers or in suitable bearings in the ring or frame. The spindle of the grooved Wheel is arranged transversely to that of the gyroseopic wheel, and the spindle o't'the latter passes through a hole or bearing in the ring and its end rests upon the grooved wheel. The ring or frame of the top may be oiE a shape other than that ot the usual annular ring such for example as that of the figure of a man, bird, box kite,

lobe carriafre or car, or ada ted to carr i e such a'ligure or figures.

l fin theaecompanying drawings, Figure 1 l is a side view of the preferred itorm of the invention mounted on a' track. Fig. l is a, detail hereinafter referred to. Fig. 2 is an g end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail 6( View showing the upper end` of the main spindle steadied by an adjustable center i screw. 1, 5 and (l, illustrate slightly nodified constructions.

lhroughout the drawings like parts are 6o designated by similar reference characters. lieferring to the drawings, f3 represents the ring or lranic of the top, 3 the rotatable wheel and l a small pulley or roller whereby the top as a whole is enabled to travel along a track or string 5 as hereinafter described. y .\s already statcdfthe said ring or frame may be made of any suitable shape or c oiifiguration and in the example shown is formed in coml'iination with or has attached "lo lo il. the figure olE a man. .Such a frame may be conveniently stamped out of a sheet metal blank with upper and lower transverse members G, 7 each of which is drilled with a hole 8 at or about the center, the two 8b. holesI being in vertical alinement with eaglh other so that when the said members are bent into a .plane at right angles to that of the `main frame the holes S therein constitute guides or bearings for the spindle 9 Offthc rot atahle wheel 3. Instead of the upperend j ot said spindle passing through the memberf.. t5 and being stcadied by the corner l0 ofthe A sleeve on the ligure, as shown, the said Ilfiel'n-Iv ber G may carry an .adjust able center se`1'ew"90 ll to engage the upper end of the spindlf sce Fig. The rotatable wheel 3 which' gives the gyroscopic action when revolving, may be made oit' lead and cast onto the spindle 9 or the wheel and4 spindle mayl betast -9`5 integr-al The position of the wheel on the spindle may be varied to suit special eases arising out of the articularshape and arrangement of the rame. In some cases it may be found desirable to completely 'incasel 10c the wheel. Any suitable means may be employed for rotating thcwhecl, such `asby a4 string in thc well known-manner o1" by a n spring winder, electricor clockwork-motor.

To enable the top to' travel, which' is the les essence of the present invention, the lower end of the gyrosco ic wheel spindle 9 is arranged to make rivinlr contact with the small wheel'or roller Said Wheel 4 is mounted to rotate in aplanel at right angles 11o to that of the gyroseopie wheel on conical trunnions 1:2 between lugs 13 Wiich may conveniently be stamped out in one piece with the frame and subsequently' bent down at right. angles thereto as shown. ln order to give stability to the top, the traveling Wheel 4 is preferably arranged vertically heneath the gyroscopie wheel spindle 9 with its axis in the plane of the frame. The Seid Wheel 4iniziy he grooved, shown in Fig. la, and the lower extremity of the gyroscopie wheel spindle may be correspondingly oei/-v eled, tapered or eoned to suity the groove or, as shown in the remaining figures, the spindle end may he made fiat in which ,ease one edge 1l of the wheel l is preferably ot' slightly larger diameter than the other edge so that the spindle makes Contact with one edge of the wheel only. ihere the end ol the spindle is beveled or tapered, iis shown in Fig. l, it would of course hear against or Arest on one side onl of the Groove in the Wheel 51nd,'if desirable, this side end the beveled lepindle end muy he serrated, eogged, or otherwise roughened to impart ii hotter drive. The groin/'ed wheel e takes the eriifl thriistvot the main Spindle nt one end lund e. center screw, or- :is showin theeorner lt), of the Sleeve takes it at. the opposite end, the grooved wheel forming ir roller hearing tor the lower end of the niiiin spindle.

lt will now he understood that when the main spindle is rotated the friction-al en gzigement or cont-tiet of its lower euil with the wheel -iwill rotate the hitter and enlise the top to travel when placed on o table or imilar surface or when hy ineens of its,l

groove the wheel et is mounted on :i stretched oord or Wire or on a traer; or riin ifhe Said track may consist ot zin iipetiiiu'liiig riiii of metal or other siiitiihle material with or Without il heee or foundation irtiehed to or i formed thereon seid track heine ol i l fr 1 b curved, eireiihir, Sruriil or other fieswed i 'The stond or foundation ot' siiid traelt iiiiiy oleo he lin'nis'heil withii pillar, post or fluiteihle erection on the upper ,eriil oi whiih l there iiiziy he a cui) or hollowerl cui) so illust the screw center oi' other port of the toil muy he rested therein to support the toi; ii;

sind Staind.

lt will he iixuleretooil that instead iii the 2fg'rooved wheel hereiiihelorir n'ieiitorieal i'or impnrtino the traveling movement to thi' i top :i dilierently shaped ii'hi-el or pulley nisiy be employed it' l'oiind deeiriihliVJ Further, intermediate wheels iniiy he introduced hi tween the driving ond ot the spindle :iiiil the traveling wheel.

lll CD. t

f Y traine is 'formed in the shape of or adopted to ee Y'ry a carriage or eer wheels or ruimere nur); he i'itted,

ein ring inw" he Substitute-'l tor the liiiiev e" ipe/il freine it' deeireii iis hewn in liig. il, Such rien er hoop l'oriiiii a Corr venient. friiii'ie or foundation for u lobe or other circular or Spherical hotly iii which. the top inziy he ineiieede or on the other hand other l'iiricy Shaped friiniee indy he eniiloyei'l :auch is that, et i bird Fig. 5, or there Lcite or aeroplane, zie Shown in e?. G5 :ril in zi'ny or ell of the dilierent. forms the top infiiy take, -the spindle of the gyroeeopie whleel niiiy lie furnished with :in oiiteidedruni or pulley lo vfor winding purposes, in. constructions euch as .tlioe'e shown in Figs. 4i and t5 eollire 1G iriiiy he furnished on the Spindle El to prevent its leteriil dieigliieeineiit troni 'the freine. y

l. ,lhe eon'ihii'iiition in ir top, ot :1 rotiiting; nieinher with e. propelling nien'iher netneteil hy raiiid rotating nieinher for causing the top to tririfel or nio e along bodily.

in :i .gyroeeopie top, the eon'ihiiiiition with the rotating iiieniher thereof, et :i Seoond rotary ii'ieinher actuated 'oy the other rotating ineiiiher to ezine@ the 'top to travel or move along bodily.

23. In :i gyroseopie top, the combination with the rotating gjyi'oseope wheel, 'of ii, wheel rotiitzihly ciii'riod in the liriiiue und iiriveii hy thi. Spindle of the gyi'oeeope ii/heel to eiiiiee the top to triii'el or inore along lioilily.

fl. in :i gyroseopie top, the eoiiihiiiiitioii with thiriiliitiii- 'yroecope i'flieel1 of :i wheel rf :itiihly izii'riiil iii the 'iziiiie :liiil' :arranged wi iin: lori'ifr Jini el' the i'oiiifiiiiiff wheel :ein reste im iii niiilie n-tiouiil conliii: "y of fciiiii wheel to rolzii'f i'iiiine the top to triivel or in :I f :i rolniiihle wheel i \,'Vo.1eoiiif.: uieiuher Yer to trawl lioiliy, iinify oi' other :shape rili' will riftiiizihlen'hrel 'nh-er vl the top, solistenY im leem ,l. in iifwliiiiiiiAv 'wh-"rent l halve Signed nipI iisiiaie to this epvi-itiiiiiioii iii the profeet/:e ol' tim bulif'ifrihiug witni lli'lt 

